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Abstract:

A beverage container that includes at least a bottom portion with a side
portion extending from the bottom portion, and a balance mass in pressing
engagement with the bottom portion is disclosed. The balance mass is
adjacent an inner surface of the bottom portion in a preferred
embodiment, and adjacent an outer surface in an alternate preferred
embodiment. In each embodiment, the balance mass includes at least a core
portion encapsulated by an encapsulant, in which the density of the core
is greater than the density of a beverage of the beverage container. In
the alternate preferred embodiment, the balance mass further includes a
tip lip portion with a condensate retention ridge, and a condensate
aperture. The condensate retention ridge, in cooperation with a side
portion of the balance mass, forms a condensate channel, and the
condensate aperture drains condensate from the condensate channel.

Claims:

1. A beverage container comprising: a bottom portion; a side portion
extending from the bottom portion; and a balance mass in pressing
engagement with the bottom portion.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, in which the bottom portion
comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, and wherein the balance
mass is adjacent the inner surface.

3. The beverage container of claim 2, in which the side portion comprises
an interior wall and an exterior wall, and in which the balance mass
comprises a core portion encapsulated by an encapsulant, wherein the
encapsulant is in pressing engagement with the interior wall.

4. The beverage container of claim 3, in which the encapsulant comprises
a side surface with a serration, wherein the serration is adjacent the
interior wall.

5. The beverage container of claim 4, in which the encapsulant further
comprises a top surface adjacent the side surface and a bottom surface
separated from the top surface by the side surface, wherein the bottom
surface conforms to the inner surface of the bottom portion.

Description:

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/406,613 filed on Apr. 19, 2006 which makes a
claim of domestic priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/672,714 filed Apr. 19, 2005, which
are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to beverage containers. More
particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates
to beverage containers that resist an inadvertent toppling over of the
beverage container.

[0004] 2. Background of the Invention

[0005] Brewed beverages and soft drinks have been packaged in containers,
such as metallic cans, for multiple decades, and problems with an
inadvertent toppling over of the container have been common for the same
period. Automobile makers have addressed the problem by including
beverage holders in their vehicles. Parents have attempted to address the
problem by serving their toddlers soft drinks in a tip resistant cup,
that frequently include a lid that meters a limited amount of fluid over
a given time. Although generally effective, at times the lid portion gets
separated from the cup portion, a soft drink is served in the cup
portion, and the soft drink ends up on the carpet. As such, challenges
remain and a need persists for improvements in integrating tip resistant
technology into direct relationship with beverage containers, and it is
to these needs and challenges that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a beverage container
that includes at least a bottom portion with a side portion extending
from the bottom portion, and a balance mass in pressing engagement with
the bottom portion is provided. Preferably, the bottom portion includes
at least an inner surface and an outer surface, and in a preferred
embodiment, the balance mass is adjacent the inner surface of the bottom
portion.

[0007] In an alternate preferred embodiment, the balance mass is adjacent
the outer surface of the bottom portion. In each embodiment, the balance
mass includes at least a core portion encapsulated by an encapsulant, in
which the density of the core is greater than the density of a beverage
of the beverage container. In the alternate preferred embodiment, the
balance mass further includes a tip lip portion with a condensate
retention ridge, and a condensate aperture. The condensate retention
ridge in cooperation with a side portion of the balance mass forms a
condensate channel, and the condensate aperture drains condensate from
the condensate channel.

[0008] The beverage container of the preferred embodiment, the encapsulant
further features a side surface, a top surface adjacent the side surface,
and a bottom surface separated from the top surface by the side surface.
Preferably, the side surface provides a serration, wherein the serration
is adjacent the interior wall of the side portion of the beverage
container, and the bottom surface conforms to the inner surface of the
bottom portion.

[0009] These and various other features and advantages which characterize
the claimed invention will be apparent from reading the following
detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.

[0023] Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is important
to understand that the invention is not limited in its application to the
details of the construction illustrated, or by the steps of construction
inherently present by way of illustration of the appended drawings. The
invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or
carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the
phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of
description and does not impose limitation on the present invention.

[0024] Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to an example of a
prior art beverage container 50 as shown in FIG. 1. Not by way of
limitation, but by way of illustration only, the prior art beverage
container 50 provides exemplary dimensions for use in describing changes
in position of a center of mass 52 of a mass of substantially 340.2 grams
(g). As shown by FIG. 1, the prior art beverage container 50 includes a
bottom portion 54, a side portion 56 protruding from the bottom portion
54, wherein the side portion 56 provides a fixed diameter 53, and a lid
portion 58 offset from the bottom portion 54 by the side portion 56. In
an upright position, as shown by FIG. 1, and referencing the dimensions
shown by FIG. 1 for the prior art beverage container 50, the center of
mass 52 is located midway between the bottom portion 54 and the lid
portion 58, and at the center point of a cylinder defined by the side
portion 56, i.e., at substantially 6 cm away from the bottom portion 54
and set in substantially 3.25 cm from the side portion 56. FIG. 1 further
shows the side portion 56 includes an interior wall 57 and a
corresponding exterior wall 59 above a transition region 55. That is to
say, the bottom portion 54 extends from the transition region 55 in a
direction away from the lid portion 58, wherein the transition region is
defined to be where the cylindrical side portion 56 transitions into an
inward sloping conical section near the bottom of container 50.

[0025] Turning to FIG. 2, shown therein is a spill angle 60 of
substantially 45 degrees, which is an angle at which the prior art
beverage container 50 will overturn unless a change in the center of mass
52 of the prior art beverage container 50 occurs. That is, to keep the
prior art beverage container 50 from overturning, the center of mass 52
must be moved from the center of mass 52 to a new center of mass 62. When
the center of mass is moved from the center of mass 52 to a new center of
mass 62, 72.92% of the original mass of the beverage contained within the
prior art beverage container 50 is above the new center of mass 62.

[0026] To maintain a balance condition, i.e., to avert a tumbling over of
the prior art beverage container 50, a mass substantially equal to 72.92%
of the original mass of the beverage contained within the prior art
beverage container 50 will need to be below the new center of mass 62.
That is to say, the composite density of the material below the new
center of mass 62 would need to be substantially 2.7 times the density of
the beverage contained within the prior art beverage container 50.
Because the prior art beverage container 50 has no such change in
material density, the prior art beverage container 50 will overturn at a
spill angle of substantially 45 degrees.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a spill angle 64 of substantially 60 degrees. To
maintain a balance condition, i.e., to avert a tumbling over of the prior
art beverage container 50, a mass substantially equal to 84.42% of the
original mass of the beverage contained within the prior art beverage
container 50 will need to be below a new center of mass 66. That is to
say, the composite density of the material below the new center of mass
66 would need to be substantially 5.44 times the density of the beverage
contained within the prior art beverage container 50. Because the prior
art beverage container 50 has no such change in material density, the
prior art beverage container 50 will overturn at a spill angle of
substantially 60 degrees.

[0028] Referring now to FIG. 4, and in particular to an inventive tip
resistant beverage container "container" 100 shown therein. Not by way of
limitation, but by way of illustration only, in a preferred embodiment
the container 100 is particularly useful as a container for canned
beverages, and includes at least a bottom portion 102 supporting a side
portion 104, which extends from the bottom portion 102, and a balance
mass 106 in pressing engagement with the bottom portion 102. Preferably,
the bottom portion 102 further provides an inner surface 108 and an outer
surface 110, wherein the balance mass 106 is in pressing engagement with
the inner surface 108.

[0029] The balance mass 106 preferably includes at least a core portion
112 encapsulated by an encapsulant 114. The encapsulant 114 is preferably
formed from a polymer approved by the Federal Food and Drug
Administration for use in confining foodstuffs. The composition of the
core portion 112 is a function of a number of degrees of spill angle the
container 100 can undergo and still recover to an upright position. As
the spill angle from which the container 100 is to recover increases, an
amount of volume within the container 100 allocated for use in housing
the balance mass 106 decreases. A decreasing volume within the container
100 allocated for use in housing the balance mass 106 necessitates an
increased density differential between the mass of the beverage contained
by the container 100 and the mass of the core portion 112. That is, the
density of the core portion 112 becomes a multiple of the density of the
beverage contained by the container 100.

[0030] For example, and not by way of limitation, if a beverage 111 (also
referred to herein as fluid 111) contained within the container 100 (with
substantially identical dimensions to the prior art beverage container 50
of FIG. 3) has a mass of 280.20 grams and occupies 84.42% of the
available volume of the container 100 (leaving 15.58% of the available
volume for occupancy by the balance mass 106), and a desired spill angle
is 60°, then the density of the balance mass 106 would be
substantially 5.44 times the density of the beverage contained within the
container 100. To maintain the container 100 in a balanced state at a
60° spill angle, the mass above a center of mass must be
substantially equal to the mass below the center of mass (which in this
case, the center of mass of the container 100 would be substantially
identical to the center of mass 66 of the prior art beverage container 50
of FIG. 3).

[0031] Letting: V represent the available volume of the container 100;
M1 represent the mass above the center of gravity; M2 represent
the mass below the center of gravity; D1 represent the density of
the beverage; and D2 represent the combined density of the balance
mass 106, the following relationships hold:

M1=M2

D1=M1/(0.8442*V)

D2=M2/(0.1558*V)

M1=D1*(0.8442*V)

M2=D2*(0.1558*V)

D1*(0.8442*V)=D2*(0.1558*V)

D1*(0.8442)=D2*(0.1558)

D2=D1*(0.8442)/(0.1558)

D2=5.44D1

At a spill angle of 45°, the center of mass of the container 100
would be substantially identical to the center of mass 62 of the prior
art beverage container 50 of FIG. 2, and the following relationship would
hold:

M1=M2

M1=D1*(0.7292*V)

M2=[D1*(0.1150*V)]+[D2*(0.1558*V)]

D1V*[0.7292-0.1150]=D2V*[0.1558]

D1*[(0.6142)/(0.1558)]=D2

D2=3.88D1

By the above example, one skilled in the art will recognize that the mass
of the core portion 112 is directly proportional to spill angle. That is,
the greater the number of degrees of spill angle present, the greater
must be the mass of the core portion 112 to maintain the container 100 in
a balanced state while encountering the spill angle.

[0032] FIG. 4 further shows the side portion 104 includes an interior wall
116 and an exterior wall 118, while FIG. 5 shows the balance mass 106 is
configured to conform to the inner surface 108 of the bottom portion 102
(of FIG. 4). Preferably, when the balance mass 106 is positioned within
the container 100 (of FIG. 4), a bottom surface 120 of the balance mass
106 is in substantially continuous and pressing engagement with the inner
surface 108 of the bottom portion 102. FIG. 5 further shows the balance
mass 106 provides a side surface 122 that preferably is in pressing
engagement with the interior wall 116 of the side portion 104 (of FIG. 4)
when the bottom surface 120 of the balance mass 106 is in pressing
engagement with the inner surface 108 of the bottom portion 102.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows the side surface 122 provides a serration 124. In a
preferred process, the serration 124 permits air to escape from between
the bottom surface 120 of the balance mass 106 (of FIG. 4), and the inner
surface 108 of the bottom portion 102 (of FIG. 4), while the bottom
surface 120 (of FIG. 5) is being placed into pressing engagement with the
inner surface 108.

[0034] FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention; an
alternate container 130. The alternate container 130 includes at least a
beverage container 132, and a balance mass 134. The beverage container
132 preferably includes a bottom portion 136 (shown in hidden line form),
with a side portion 138 extending from the bottom portion 136. The
balance mass 134 preferably includes an encapsulant 140. The encapsulant
140 preferably includes at least a top surface 142 adjacent a side
surface 144, and a bottom surface 146 separated from the top surface 142
by the side surface 144, wherein the top surface 142 conforms to an outer
surface 148 of the bottom portion 136. FIG. 7 further shows, the side
portion 138 extends from a transition region 135 toward a lip region 137
of the beverage container 132, while the bottom portion 136 commences at
the transition region 135 and extends from the transition region 135 in a
direction away from the lip region 137 culminating at an interface
surface 139 of the beverage container 132. It is noted that the
transition region is defined to be where the side portion 138 transitions
from a cylindrical shape, shown by FIG. 7, into an inward sloping conical
section near the bottom of container 132. The rounded section, that
portion of the container 132 where the side portion 138 with its
cylindrical shape transitions into an inward sloping conical section near
the bottom of container 132, forms a part of the bottom portion 136. The
bottom portion further includes a concave area 141 commencing at the
interface surface 139 and protruding toward the lip region 137. The side
portion 138 commences at the transition region 135, culminates at the lip
region 137 and preferably presents a fixed diameter 55 (of FIG. 1) along
its entire length, which means the a cross-sectional area of the beverage
container 132 taken at any point along the side portion 138 is the same
as the cross-sectional area taken along any other point along the side
portion 138.

[0035] FIG. 8 shows the encapsulant 140 further preferably includes a tip
lip portion 150 extending radially from the side surface 144, wherein the
tip lip portion 150 mitigates an inadvertent engagement of the side
portion 138 with a container support surface 152 supporting the bottom
surface 146. Further shown by FIG. 8 is a spill angle 154 defined as an
angle between the side portion 138 and the container support surface 152,
wherein upon encountering an angle greater than the spill angle 154, the
side portion 138 contacts the container support surface 152.

[0036] The tip lip portion 150 further includes at least a tip engagement
surface 156 on a distal portion of the tip lip portion 150, wherein upon
encountering a tipping force sufficient to engender an angle between the
side portion 138 and the container support surface 152 greater than the
spill angle 154, the tip engagement surface 156 engages the container
support surface 152 to preclude contacting engagement of the side portion
138 with the container support surface 152, and the balance mass 134
returns the side portion 138 to an upright position relative to the
container support surface 152.

[0037] FIG. 8 further shows that the beverage container 132, preferably
further includes a lid portion 158 offset from the bottom portion 136 by
the side portion 138. Preferably, the side portion 138 has a
predetermined overall length, and the tip lip portion 150 is offset from
the lid portion 158 by a predetermined portion of the predetermined
overall length of the side portion 138. At each predetermined portion of
offset, the tip lip portion 150 forms a member of specific width, wherein
each predetermined portion of offset is directly proportional to a mass
of a core 160 (of FIG. 9), and wherein each specific width of the tip lip
portion 150 associated with each predetermined portion of offset of the
tip lip portion 150 from the lid portion 158 is indirectly proportional
to the mass of the core 160. In other words, as the mass of the core 160
increases, the amount of offset of the tip lip portion 150 from the lid
portion 158 increases, and as the mass of the core 160 increases, the
width of the tip lip portion 150 decreases.

[0038] In addition to the core 160 of the balance mass 134, FIG. 9 further
shows an encapsulant 162 enclosing the core 160, a condensate retention
ridge 164 provided by the tip lip portion 150, a condensate channel 166
formed between the condensate retention ridge 164 and the side surface
144, and a friction portion 168 supported by the side surface 144, and
wherein the encapsulant wall 162 directly contacting the core 160 forms a
base region 163 of the balance mass 134, the base region 163, is in
contacting adjacency with the container support surface 152. The
encapsulant wall 162 is preferably formed from a polymer approved by the
Federal Food and Drug Administration for use in confining foodstuffs, but
may be formed from any ridged or semi-ridged material. The condensate
retention ridge 164 confines condensate within the condensate channel 166
to preclude water marks on the container support surface 152 (of FIG. 8),
and the friction portion 168 is preferably formed from a deformable
polymer, such as polyurethane, which deforms an amount sufficient to
impart a force against the side portion 138 of the beverage container 132
(of FIG. 8), to avert an unintentional dislodgement of the balance mass
134 from the beverage container 132.

[0039] FIG. 10 shows the balance mass 134 further includes a plurality of
condensate apertures 170 extending from the condensate channel 166 and
through the side surface 144. FIG. 10 further shows that the friction
portions 168 are preferably distributed in various locals around the side
surface 144. By distributing the friction portions 168 at various locals
around the side surface 144, condensate collection cavities 172 are
formed between the side portion 138 (shown by dashed lines) of the
beverage container 132 (of FIG. 8), the side surface 144, and the
friction portions 168. Preferably, the condensate apertures 170 extending
from the condensate channel 166 and through the side surface 144 are
aligned with the condensate collection cavities 172 to allow condensate
collected in the condensate channel 166 to drain into the condensate
collection cavities 172.

[0040] Continuing with FIGS. 11 and 12, the embodiment shown therein is
illustrative of an effect of reducing the mass of the core 160 of the
balance mass 134. To assure the beverage container 132 is capable of
returning to an upright position relative to the container support
surface 152 when the mass of the core 160 is reduced, either the offset
of the balance mass 134 from the lid portion 158 needs to be reduced and
the width of the tip lip portion 150 needs to be increased, or the width
of the tip lip portion 150 needs to be increased, relative to the width
of the tip lip portion 150 of FIG. 9, as shown by FIG. 11.

[0041] FIG. 13 shows the inclusion of anti-roll notches 174 as an element
of the embodiment of the balance mass 134 shown by FIG. 13, results in
the tip lip portion 150 being a non-continuous member. The inclusion of
the anti-roll notches 174 as an element of the tip lip portion 150
mitigates a potential tendency of the alternate container 130 (of FIG.
12) to roll on the tip engagement surface 156 (of FIG. 11) upon an
inadvertent encountering of the tip engagement surface 156 with the
container support surface 152 (of FIG. 12).

[0042] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, a number of
modifications could be made to the preferred embodiments which would not
depart from the spirit or the scope of the present invention. While the
presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this
disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those
skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within
the spirit of this invention.